THE IMPACT OF HEALTH MISINFORMATION ON BRAZILIAN SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON TREATMENT ADHERENCE

Everaldo dos Santos Mendes; Cicero Ivan Alcantara Costa; Thyago Furtado de Freitas; Fernando Aparecido Rubio Domingues

Authors

Everaldo dos Santos Mendes
Cicero Ivan Alcantara Costa
Thyago Furtado de Freitas
Fernando Aparecido Rubio Domingues

Keywords:

Health Misinformation, Social Media, Treatment Adherence, Health Literacy

Abstract

Health misinformation on Brazilian social media constitutes a threat to public health, compromising treatment adherence and trust in scientific institutions. The proliferation of fake news about vaccines, medications, and treatments generates serious consequences, including reduced vaccination coverage and the abandonment of therapies proven to be effective. This study analyzes the impact of health misinformation on Brazilian social media on treatment adherence, identifying mechanisms of dissemination and coping strategies. The methodology is characterized as an exploratory bibliographic review with a qualitative approach, grounded in the critical analysis of scientific publications from 2020 to 2025. The results indicate that misinformation is concentrated on topics related to vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, with documented effects on vaccine hesitancy and treatment abandonment. Vulnerable populations, including older adults and individuals with low levels of schooling, show greater susceptibility to misinformation content. It is concluded that addressing misinformation requires strengthening health literacy, improving physician–patient communication, and holding digital platforms accountable.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.009-015